Land leveler



J. V. HOWARD Oct. 21, 1952 LAND LEVELER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9,1948 INVENTOR.

James 1/. Howard J. V. HOWARD LAND LEVEL-ER Get. 21, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Jam e: M wwm" Filed July 9, 1948 J. V. HOWARD Oct. 21, 1952 LANDLEVELER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 9. 1948 INVENTOR. \fm es 1 6 0 wardJ. V. HOWARD LAND LEVELER Oct. 21, 1952 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed July 9,1948 INVENTOR. @0763 M Howard Patented Oct. 21, 1952 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE LAND LEVELER James V. Howard, Nampa, Idaho ApplicationJuly 9, 1948, Serial No. 37,868

s 3 Claims.

This invention relates to earth grading implements and more particularlyto a levelling ma chine of the tractor-drawn type. 1

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improvedlevelling machine of the type having a front scraping blade and a reardrag or float, said machine being simple in construction, easy tooperate, and having means to provide variable pressure on the float tomeet different soil conditions and to raise the float above ground levelfor transport of the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved levellingmachine of the tractordrawn type wherein a substantial portion of theweight of the machine is applied to the tractor drawbar, improving thetraction of the tractor, reducing the amount of tractor power requiredto pull the machine, and providing an improved cutting and fillingaction, the machine having means for selectively controlling the mannerin which the rear portion of the machine is supported on the ground,whereby the proper feathering action for any soil condition may beobtained.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following de scription and claim, and from the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a land levelling machineconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on line 3-4 ofFigure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken on line 55 ofFigure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail View taken on line E-6 ofFigure 2.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail view taken longitudinallythrough the hydraulic operating cylinder for the scraper bladeregulating mechanism of the machine of Figure 1, said view being takenon line 1-! of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective detail view of the scraper bladeemployed in the machine the present invention, showing a manuallyoperated elevating mechanism for the scraper blade rather than ahydraulic mechanism as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail view taken on line -43 of Figure 10showing the crank looking drum and the scraper blade elevating crank.

Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l2--l2 of Figure 11.

Referring to the drawings, H designates the frame of the machine, saidframe comprising parallel tubular side members l2, l2 rigidly connectedtogether by spaced tubular cross members I3 and M, the side members i2,i2 terminating at their forward ends in convergent portions l5, 15 whichare rigidly connected to a hitch'bar member I6. Secured to the forwardend of hitch bar member is are the vertically spaced apertured hitchplates l1 and [8 adapted to receive the end of a tractor drawbartherebetween and to be hitched thereto by a conventional hitch pin.

As shown in Figure 3, the cross member M is of inverted U-shape andcomprises a horizontal top arm I9 and depending side arms 20, which arerigidly connected to the longitudinal side bars I2, 12. The hitch barmember 16 is rearwardly and upwardly inclined and is rigidly connectedat its rear end to the midportion of the arm 19, Th frame I! alsoincludes inclined tie rods 2|, 2| connecting the top ends of arms 20, 20to the rear end portions of side bars l2, l2 and inclined tie rods 22,22 connecting the top ends of said arms 20, 29 to the forward endportions of the respective convergent extensions I5, 15. The tie rods 2!and 22 are further braced by rod elements 23 and 2 3 connecting them tothe respective frame members I2 and i5.

Designated generally at 25 is a transverse scraper blade having a mainvertical blade portion 26 and forwardly extending side wings 2T, 27.Eii: tending rearwardly from the end portions of scraper blade 25 areparallel arms 28, 28 provided at their end portions with laterallyprojecting pivot pins 29. Pivot pins 29 are rotatablyreceived in bearingbrackets 33, 30 secured inwardly of the frame side members [2, 12,whereby the scraper blade 25 is transversely positioned rearwardlyadjacent cross member M in the intermediate portion of frame H. The arms2 8are braced to the rear transverse wall surface of blade 25 by bracerods shown at 3!, 3i and 32, 32.

Projecting upwardly from the mid-point of the top margin of bladeportion 26 is an apertured lug 33. Secured to the horizontal arm I9 ofcross member 14 are upwardly extending convergent struts 34, 34 fastenedtogether at their top ends and braced to bar member 6 by a tie rod 35connecting the junction of struts 34, 34 to the forward portion of saidbar member 6. A heavy coiled spring 36 connects the junction of thestruts 34, 34 to the apertured lug 33 of the scraper blade 25, biasingsaid scraper blade upwardly.

Designated at 31, 31 are apertured lugs projecting upwardly from therespective ends of transverse arm l9 and pivoted in said lugs is atransverse shaft 38. Secured to said shaft inwardly adjacent therespective lugs 31, 31 are rearwardly extending arms 39, 39. The ends ofarm 39, 39 are connected to the upper portions of the side wings 21, 21of the scraper blade 25 by link bars 40, 40.

Secured to the intermediate portion of bar member I6 is a bracket 4| andpivoted to said bracket is a rearwardly extending hydraulic cylinder 42.The plunger rod of said cylinder, designated atv 43, ispivotallyconnected to an upwardlyextending, arm 44isecured to themid-portion of shaft 38'. Extension of plunger rod 43 from cylinder 42rotates the shaft 38 counterclockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, causing adownward force to be exerted on scraper blade 25. by means of, arms 39,39 and the link bars 40, 40, thereby. depressing the scraper bladeagainst the biasing force of the spring. 36. Cylinder 42 is providedwith a fluid admission conduit 45 which may be connected to the, usualfluid pressure source carried by the conventional tractor. By means ofthe control valve of said fluid pressure source the operator maytherefore regulate the raising. and lowering of the scraper blade 25.Plunger rod 43 isbiased inwardly of cylinder 42 by. a spring connectingarm 44 to bracket 4|.

Rigidly. secured to the rear ends of the side frame bars l2; |2;is afloat blade 46 known in detail in Figure 9. Blade4fizcomprises a flatgroundengaging member 41 and: an vangledsupporting member 48 rigid withmember. 41; and braced thereto by. a tie rod.49 connecting the edges ofthe members 41 and 4.8. at their. mid-portions. Secured to the angled,member 48 are apertured cleat members 50, 50, said cleat members. beingfurther braced. tomember 48 by a tie rod| overlying and securedto thecleat members and being secured at itsendsto the respective end-portionsof member 48.

Projecting upwardly and rearwardly from the cross member |3and'spacedinwardly short distances from the respectiveframe side barsl2, l2 are apertured arms 52, 52; Pivotally connected to said arms at53, 53 are the forward ends of respective triangular frame assemblies54, 54, said frame assemblies being rigidly connected together at theirapex portions by a transverse axle bearing sleeve 55 in which isjournaled an axle 56. Secured to the ends of said axle are therespective groundengaging wheels 51, 51. Each frame assembly comprisesparallel bar elements 58, 58 and 59, 59 secured on opposite sides ofspacer blocks 60, 60, said blocksbeing connected by a tie bar 6|. Theaxle sleeve 55 is rigidly joined to the inner ends of the bar elements58 and 59. The outer ends of bar elements 58, 58 straddle the arms 52and are pivotally secured thereto by the bolts 53. Pivotallysecuredbetween the outer ends of the bar elements 59, 59 at the rear ends ofthe frame assemblies 54, 54 are the. respective sleeve members 62, 62.Extending slidably through the sleeve members 62, 62 are the respectivethreaded rods 63, 63. Each rod 63 carries a fork member 64 at its lowerend, the fork members 64 straddling the respec- 4 tive cleat members 50,50 and being pivotally secured thereto at 65. Threaded onto the upperportion of each rod 63 is a nut 66 formed with a crank handle 61 forrotating same. By rotating the crank handles 61, 61 clockwise, as viewedin Figure 2, the nuts 66, 66 may be advanced on the threaded rods 63,63, moving the sleeves 62, 62 toward the float blade 46. This rotatesthe frame assemblies 54 downwardly with respect to the frame side bars.l2, l2 and places the weight of the rear portion of the machine on thegroundengaging wheels 51, 51, whereby the float blade 46 may be elevatedabove the ground level, as where the machine is to be towed from onelocation to another.

The float blade 46 may be lowered by rotating the crank handles 61, 61counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, to a position where anydesired proportion of the weight of the rear portion of the machine isimposed on said float blade, as required by the condition of the soil tobe levelled. By'sufficiently elevating; the nuts 66, 66 on the rods 63,63, the sleeves 62, 62-1naybeallowedto move upwardly on said rodsuntilthe entire weight of the rear portion of the machine is imposed on thefloat blade 46 and no load; whatsoever is carried by, the wheels 51, 51.

Figures 10, 11 and12 disclose'a modified, form of control mechanismforthemain scraper blade 25 wherein the elevation; and; depression of thescraper blade is Performedmanually instead of by meansofra hydrauliccylinder. Designated at 68 is a vertical, transversely oriented drummember secured to bar-member l6gby an upstanding supporting. bar lll-and aninclined brace bar 16. Rigidly. secured to bar 10,- by rod;elements ll, 12 is a bearing; sleeve 43 axially; aligned with drummember 68. Journaled in drum member 68 and in sleeve 13 is a shaft 7,4,said shaft: having a'shouldered portion, '15 abutting the inside surfaceof the main wall of drum member 63. Connected to the rearend of shaft14: by auniversal joint 76 is a worm shaft 1-! journaled in a bearingsleeve 18 carried on an upstanding arm 19 secured'to bar member |6-. Theworm, designated at 80, meshes withawormgear 9|-carried1on a transverseshaft, 82 rotatably mounted in brackets 83 projecting upwardly from;member 6,- and secured to;sha ft, 82 is an arm- 84; The transverse shaft38-carries an upstanding; arm 85"at its midportion which isconnectedto'arm, 84 by a link bar 86-. Saidshaft also carries arearwardly extending arm 8'! at its mid-portion whichis connected to lug33 of; the; scraper blade by a link bar 88.

Pivotally secured, to: the shoulder element 75 of shaft 74 is a crankhandle 89which is biased toward the rim of' drum-;68;by a springSOconnecting said crank handle to the inner portion of the shoulderelement; 15; Said-rimis formed with spaced notches Miami-the crankhandle89 is formed at itsrearwardly facing surface with a lug; 62;lockinlyengageable in the notchesfll. Spring 90 normally, holds the crankhandle 89 locked with respectto the rimof drum 68., the lug 92 beingengaged inoneoffthe notches 9|. The handle 89 may be released by pullingforwardly thereon against-the tension of spring 90. By rotating saidhandle while maintaining sufficient tension thereon to prevent lockingthereof the worm 83 may be rotated to thereby rotate gear 8| and shaft82. Rotation of shaft 82 is transmitted to shaft 38. by arm 84,. linkbar 86 and arm 85. The-scraper blade 25. is .thus moved upwardly ordownwardly by arm .81 and link bar 88 responsive to rotation of shaft38, the direction of movement of the scraper blade depending upon thedirection of rotation of crank handle 89. The blade may be locked inadjusted position by allowing the lug 92 of the handle 89 to engage inone of the drum rim notches 9 I.

While specific embodiments of a levelling machine of the tractor-drawntype has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will beunderstood that various modifications within the spirit of the inventionmay occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that nolimitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope ofthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A land levelling machine of the character described comprising aframe, a transverse depending scraper blade having rearwardly extendingside arm portions, means pivotally connecting said side arm portions tothe sides of the frame at the intermediate portion of said frame, springmeans connecting the scraper blade to the frame and biasing the bladeupwardly, fluid pressure means on the frame comprising a cylinderpivoted to the forward portion of the frame having a rearwardlyextending plunger, linkage means connecting said plunger to the scraperblade, said linkage means being formed and arranged to depress thescraper blade responsive to extension of the plunger, a transverse floatblade secured to the rear end of the frame, a pair of longitudinal armspivoted at their forward ends to the frame forwardly of the float bladeon a common transverse axis, a transverse bearing sleeve connecting theintermediate portions of said arms, an axle journaled in said sleeve,ground-engaging wheels carried at the ends of said axle, sleeve memberspivotally secured to the rear ends of the respective arms, threaded rodspassing slidably through the respective sleeve members and pivotallysecured at their lower ends to the float blade, and nut members threadedon said rods above the sleeve members and engageable therewith, wherebythe wheels may be raised or lowered with respect to the float blade.

2. A land levelling machine comprising a horizontally disposed mainframe having one end adapted to be connected to a tractor, an axlepositioned transversely of said frame adjacent to and spaced inwardly ofthe other end thereof, a pair of wheels carried by said axle, a scraperpositioned transversely of said frame intermediate the ends thereof andfacing said one end of said main frame and mounted on said main framefor movement into and out of engagement with a ground surface, a pair offrame assemblies positioned on said axle intermediate said wheels andeach supported on said axle intermediate its ends, the lower end of eachof said assemblies being pivotally connected to said main frame, anupstanding rod positioned adjacent each of said frame assemblies andhaving the lower end pivotally connected to said main frame adjacent theother end thereof, a sleeve slidably supported on each of said rodsinwardly of the other end thereof, means connecting the other end ofeach of said frame assemblies to the sleeve a jacent thereto for rockingmovement about an axis transverse of said sleeve, hand actuable meansrotatably supported on each of said rods inwardly of the other endthereof and engageable with the sleeve adjacent thereto for effectingraising and lowering movement of said sleeves and to thereby raise andlower the other end of said main frame with respect to the groundsurface, and manually actuable means 'operatively connected to saidscraper for effecting the movement of the latter into engagement withthe ground surface.

3. A land levelling machine comprising a horizontally disposed mainframe having one end adapted to be connected to a tractor, an axlepositioned transversely of said frame adjacent to and spaced inwardly ofthe other end thereof, a pair of wheels carried by said axle, a scraperpositioned transversely of said frame intermediate the ends thereof andfacing said one end of said main frame and mounted on said main framefor movement into and out of engagement with a ground surface, a pair offrame assemblies positioned on said axle intermediate said wheels andeach supported on said axle intermediate its ends, the lower end of eachof said assemblies being pivotally connected to said main frame, anupstanding rod positioned adjacent each of said frame assemblies andhaving the lower end pivotally secured to said main frame adjacent theother end thereof, a sleeve slidably supported on each of said rodsinwardly of the other end thereof, means connecting the other end ofeach of said frame assemblies to the sleeve adjacent thereto for rockingmovement about an axis transverse of said sleeve, hand actuable meansrotatably supported on each of said rods inwardly of the other endthereof and engageable with the sleeve adjacent thereto for effectingraising and lowering movement of said sleeves and to thereby raise andlower the other end of said main frame with respect to the groundsurface, manually actuable means operatively connected to said scraperfor effecting the movement of the latter into engagement with the groundsurface, and a float blade extending transversely'of said main framealong and facing away from the other end thereof and fixedly secured tosaid main frame.

JAMES V. HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 30,041 Bagley Sept. 18, 1860636,859 Shuart Nov. 14, 1899 975,295 Sickler Nov. 8, 1910 1,463,515 LongJuly 31, 1923 1,583,776 Brownson et a1 May 11, 1926- 1,672,140 TharpJune 5, 1928 1,759,982 Hauser May 27, 1930 1,845,324 Noffsinger et al.'Feb. 16, 1932 1,855,459 Strandlund Apr. 26, 1932 2,076,626 Dickey Apr.13, 1937 2,277,889 Shumaker Mar. 31, 1942 2,283,744 Lethlean May 19,1942 2,337,725 Mott Dec. 28, 1943

